Sylvania Silverstars -- forget it

I have a '96 Bonneville with the 2-headlight system (1 bulb for High Beams and 1 bulb for Low Beams (on each side, of course)), and an '01 Montana with the 1-headlight system. Both vehicles have the Silverstar headlights, but I didn't notice much of a difference in the Montana with the Silverstars, as opposed to the regular bulbs. As for the Bonneville, I notice a huge difference. Not only is the light crisper and clearer, but it shoots out farther, and wider. Which lighting system does your Outback have?

As for reliability, I don't really know yet. I have had the SS's in the Bonnie for around 5 months, and only in the Montana for around 2. I do also like the look of the SS's in the Bonnie. Looking at the car straight on, I can tell a huge difference between the SS's and the regular fog lights on the bottom. Then again the headlight glass on the Bonnie is crystal clear, while the Montana is pitted and hazy.

The Sylvania SS are kind of a gimmick bulb. With the blue tint they give the simulated HD look; that tint robs some of the output, tho, so they're built to burn more amps to make up for the loss. Running hotter gives a shorter service life.

Osram Silverstar's have a clear capsule, don't simulate HD bulbs, last as long as a regular halogen, and seem better than OEM for a lot of folks. I've been able to get them on eBay, shipped, for less than the Sylvania SS at the local store.

About OSRAM SYLVANIA: OSRAM SYLVANIA is a leader in lighting solutions and specialty products that feature innovative design and energy saving technology. The company sells products for homes, businesses and vehicles primarily under the SYLVANIA brand name, and also under the OSRAM brand. Headquartered in Danvers, Mass., OSRAM SYLVANIA is the North American operation of OSRAM GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of Siemens AG. For more information, visit

I don't know why there would be a difference as both are owned by Osram, which is a subsidiary of Siemens. Without seeing a package, I do not know if they are made in the same plant.

The Silver Stars are both clear bulbs in both brands. If you want blue they are sold as "Cool Blue" by Sylvania & Osram.

Blair

This is not correct. The Osram Silverstars are clear bulbs. The Sylvania Silverstars are blue bulbs. The previous poster is correct. I have had both Osram and Sylvania Silverstars in my 2001 Outback. I have had the Cool Blue in a 93 Grand Am years ago before I got the Outback. The Cool Blue is a different bulb entirely; burns at a somewhat lower operating temperature.

Try that one again......

I'm running the Sylvania Silverstars on my OBW. When I bought them there were a number of aftermarket bulbs on display. The Cool Blues were next to the SilverStars as well as blisterpacked generic H1 bulbs. There was no visible blue tint on the SSs, and having a known clear cheapie right next to it was a good comparison.

As for the SSs... I can't say that there was any huge difference as I'd just bought the car and one side was burnt out when I bought it -- no previous experience. I did have one burn out in three days tho.

Yes, try that one again: there is a blue tint on the Sylvania Silverstars.

and having a known clear cheapie right

My Outback has a two-light system. The low-beams use an H1 bulb, and the high-beams use a 9006 bulb, I believe. I only ever replaced the low-beams, kept the high-beams stock.

If you have the receipts for the Silverstars, keep it. There is a 1.5 year warranty on them. But I lost my receipt, so I was SOL. Besides I didn't expect them to burn out so soon. Most headlights I've had before this would last me years, so I expected the same here.

Now I got a chance to compare the difference between the SSs and regulars during that month between the failure of the drivers side and passenger side lights. As I said, I kept the passenger side on SS, while the driver side reverted to regulars. While going along a dark highway, I watched carefully, and SSs illuminated maybe about 5 ft further up the road, but then you look as the scenery going by your sides and the regulars illuminated them better.

Yousuf Khan

How is it that two companies can both call their lights Silverstars?

Yousuf Khan

No, I did notice a definite blue-tint to the Silverstars that I bought. It wasn't anything like a Christmas light's blue, but a bluish tint to something otherwise transparent.

Yousuf Khan

But do you really need to see the sides better? Ahead of you - yes. But close in, is it just more distracting than useful? It's one way that some lights LOOK brighter than others without actually allowing you to SEE more. Light up areas that are convinient for the manufacturer, but not necessarily useful to you.

Would you rather see the wildlife before or after it's in front of you ? Jim

Whether or not it helps depends on how close in we are talking. At regular road speeds, stuff that happens in close to you at the side of the road isn't important at all. There's nothing you can do to react to it in time. If we're talking further out - where you have time to react

- then I'm all for light at the side of the road. Deer are important to see!

The point I was (unsuccessfully) trying to make was that some bulbs throw light to places where it makes it LOOK brighter, but doesn't actually show anything useful to you.

You must not have the same lights as I do. There is a blue tint on my Silverstars.

So are you saying that Osram SSes are lower current than their Sylvania SS siblings? Why would they name them the same thing with such basic design differences?

Yousuf Khan

I am.

Presumably the Sylvanias are burning hotter/at higher wattage to make up for starting out in the hole (having to overcome the cheesey "wannabe- HD" tint),compared to clear-capsule bulbs.

Heck if I know. Anyone know any Osram/Sylvania marketing types?

Hi,

I don't know any marketing types, but they've got a FAQ at

might answer some questions. BTW, a comment was made about the Silverstars using more current, thus shortening their life. This appears to be incorrect: check the ratings sections, and the voltage/current requirements are the same as several other models. Life expectancy is probably more closely related to the materials used.

Rick

Now it's my turn to admit to being "not so bright". The RH Silverstar burnt out after less than 3 months use. I replaced it today and it DOES have a blue tint. I looked at new ones at the store in passing and the tint *is* very light. It gets darker after use.

That's the last of Silverstars for me (except the remaining LH bulb goes in the junkbox as a road spare). The *first* LH bulb lasted all of 3 days. It wasn't my greasy fingers that killed it either; I spent years repairing projectors - I *know* bulbs.

I'm now using the XtraVisions; will see how that pans out.

FWIW; someone else mentioned a different cutoff for the XVs. That's highly unlikely unless the filament is mounted off the focal center. The only way the cutoff points could change otherwise is to physically change the reflectors built into the headlight housing.